Notes
Rome:
Geography- built on 7 rolling hills, around Tiber river, near center of Italian peninsula, midway point between the Alps and Italy’s southern tip.
First Romans- 1000 to 500 BC, three groups inhabited and fought for control, Latins Greeks and Etruscans, Latins built original settlement at Rome, cluster of wooden huts on top of one of the seven hills.
Greek Influence- 750 and 600 BC, Greeks established colonies southern part of Italy and sicily, cities were prosperous and commercially active, brought all of Italy including rome, into closer contact with greek civilization.
Etruscans- native to northern Italy, skilled metal workers and engineers, very influential in development of roman civilization, romans adopted their alphabet they also adopted some of their architecture, especially the arch.
Republic- a form of government in which the power rests with citizens who have the right to vote for their leaders.
In rome, citizenship with voting rights was granted only to free-born adult male landowners.
Patricians and Plebeians- in early republic, different groups of romans struggled for power. Patricians- wealthy landowners who held most of the power. Plebeians- the common person, but could still vote. Usually farmers and merchants.
Patricians- inherited their power and social status, claimed that they had the right to rule due to their ancestry, barred the plebeians from holding high offices in the government, in time the leaders of rome, allowed the plebeians to form their own assembly and elect their own representatives to protect their rights from the patrician officials, they called this their tribunes.
Executive branch- two consuls vs one president, 1 year term vs. 4 year term
Legislative branch- senate, high social and economic status, serve for life, advises consuls. Centuriate assembly, soldiers only, choose consuls, serve for life. Tribal assembly, ordinary citizens, serve for life, makes laws
Judicial branch- 8 judges, 1 year by the centuriate assembly, two oversee civil and criminal courts, the others govern provinces
Legal Code- twelve tables- list of rules that was the supreme law of the land in rome, in America it’s equal to the constitution
Roman Army- romans took great pride in the government and also the military, men who owned land were required to serve in the army, some of the hight public office positions required 10 years of military service
Legions- roman soldiers were organized into large military units called legions, legions were made up of 5,000 foot soldiers, group of cavalry would support each legion, military organization and fighting skill of the roman army were key factors in Rome’s rise to greatness
Expansion- by 4th century BC, the romans dominated central Italy, they defeated the Etruscans to the north and the Greek city-states to the south
Treatment- Latins on the Tiber became full citizens, in territory farther from Rome, the conquered people were citizens as well but didn’t have voting power, the remaining people became “allies” of Rome.
Part 2:
Punic Wars and Hannibal-
who fought? Carthage and Rome (three wars) (1-rome to sicily. 2-carthage leader Hannibal invaded Italy. 3-Rome and Carthage.
key players? Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, Scipio the Younger
who won? Rome
what happened in result?Rome became an even greater empire spreading into africa
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